Wyoming Wildlife May 2024 - 28

A young angler seeks a bite at the
CCC Ponds in the Pinedale Region.
(Photo by Chris Martin/WGFD)
here is nothing like your first time fishing. It can be
a transformative experience that leads to a lifelong
love of the water. I remember my first time in vivid
detail. I was fishing with my grandpa and two of my cousins
at my great-uncle Dale's pond. I was using a push-button
Ugly Stik rod, a red and white bobber and one-quarter of
a fat nightcrawler.
I was taught early on that if you cut the
worms into quarters, you potentially get four
fish for the price of one. I remember being
extremely jealous because one of my cousins
had a rod that pumped like an air rifle and
used compressed air to shoot a capsule with the
bait and bobber into the water. This was handy
because none of us were very good at casting.
There I was, sitting on the bank staring at
that bobber as if it held the secret to life itself.
After what seemed like hours, the bobber
wiggled once, then again, then completely
disappeared. I furiously lifted up the rod only
to realize I failed to reel it after casting. Instead
of the rod-shaking fight of a largemouth bass,
I felt no resistance and promptly fell on my
28 | May 2024
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butt. I struggled to regain my footing and find
the reel as the line continued zinging out. I
eventually got myself sorted, and the fight was
on. I used all the strength my little 5-year-old
arms could muster as my grandpa watched.
After minutes of effort, I dragged my trophy
onto shore, a beautiful 8-inch largemouth bass.
I spent most of my childhood chasing that
feeling. I was fortunate to spend my summers
bouncing between both sets of grandparents,
who had little ponds on or near their properties.
For me, going fishing was as simple as
digging up some worms, finding a tackle box
with some rusty hooks and walking over the
hill to the closest pond. I got to experience all
of the ups and downs that come with learning
how to fish without my parents having to drag
me somewhere in the car.
I still fished a lot with my parents. I learned
most of what I know about reading water from
my dad, and all of what I know about patience
from my mom. Now that I'm an adult, I realize
the time they spent teaching me was a sacrifice.
Life is busy, and sometimes, there just
isn't room for fishing. Having the ability to
take myself fishing was a huge blessing, and I
can't imagine my fishing journey without that
self-guided time.
Luckily for people in Wyoming, you don't
need to have a pond on your grandparent's
property to get started in the angling world.
All across the state there are places for anglers
of all ages to congregate and start or continue
their fishing journeys. These community fisheries
are strategically located to make fishing
accessible for people in the community, and
fish are stocked regularly by the Wyoming
Game and Fish Department. Below are some
ponds to try around the state.
Wyoming Wildlife May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wyoming Wildlife May 2024
